FDSTools: Forensic DNA Sequencing Tools

FDSTools is a package of data analysis tools for Next Generation Sequencing of forensic DNA markers, including tools for characterisation and filtering of PCR stutter artefacts and other systemic noise, and for automatic detection of the alleles in a sample. The software package is written in Python and runs on Windows, Linux or MacOS. Please refer to the User Guide for installation instructions.

FDSTools 2.0 is out!

Get ready for the latest version of FDSTools. In FDSTools 2.0, allele nomenclature is based on STRNaming. For human targets, no manual configuration of the repeat structure is required anymore. And no manual configuration is required at all if you're using one of the built-in kits. Furthermore, kits that sequence each target in a single orientation (such as the ForenSeq DNA Signature Prep Kit, Verogen) are now supported.

Please refer to the User Guide if you are upgrading from an FDSTools v1.x installation.

References

Below are some links to resources available elsewhere.

• FDSTools is thoroughly introduced in our article:
  Hoogenboom, J., van der Gaag, K. J., de Leeuw, R. H., Sijen, T., de Knijff, P., and Laros, J. F. FDSTools: A software package for analysis of massively parallel sequencing data with the ability to recognise and correct STR stutter and other PCR or sequencing noise. Forensic Sci Int Genet, 27, 27–40. doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2016.11.007
• The STRNaming STR allele nomenclature system is introduced in:
  Hoogenboom, J., Sijen, T., and van der Gaag, K. J. STRNaming: Generating simple, informative names for sequenced STR alleles in a standardised and automated manner. Forensic Sci Int Genet, 52, 102473. doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2021.102473
• The software is available from the Python Package Index (PyPI) at PyPI.org/project/FDSTools
• Bugs, feature requests and other issues can be reported and tracked at GitHub.com/Jerrythafast/FDSTools/issues
• Source code is available at GitHub.com/Jerrythafast/FDSTools